Paddy Power are to pay out early on Andrew Flintoff winning the BBC Sports Personality of the Year. Voting for the award, which will be presented at Christmastime, has not begun, but the bookmakers believe the Lancashire all-rounder will be a unanimous choice.

Flintoff was 9-2 to win the prize before the Ashes series began, but was down to 11-4 after his match-winning heroics in the second Test at Edgbaston. The third Test took his odds to even money but after his heroics in the final two tests the bookmaker’s have called it a day.

William Hill estimate that £50 million pounds was gambled on the Ashes which has been seen as a return for cricket as a major gambling sport after a slow period following the distasteful Hansie Cronje affair.

Hills make Australia 8-11 to regain the Ashes at the first time of asking in the 2006-07 series, with England evens to retain them.